 This is a weekly newsletter about Faron Young and my progress toward publication of “Tell It Like It Is: A Biography of Faron Young.” A university press is currently reviewing the book manuscript. FARON FIFTY-THREE YEARS AGO: Faron recorded “Goin’ Steady” on October 12, 1952, a month before his induction into the Army. He’d written […]
To fans and friends and family of Faron Young: This is the first edition of a periodic newsletter on the status of publication of “Tell It Like It Is: A Biography of Faron Young.” Please let me know if you prefer not to be on my mailing list.
There were no rattlesnakes at the Rattlesnake Trail 50K in Charleston, West Virginia. At least, we didn’t see any. My running buddy and I wanted to do an ultra together before I moved from Northern Virginia to Japan. I looked in UltraRunning Magazine and found a 50-kilometer race on July 13, less than seven hours […]
One perk of being in naval aviation maintenance is the occasional opportunity to fly in the backseat of a jet. While in the training command in 1979, I went through ejection seat training and water survival to do just that. Following a lecture about the ejection seat, we took turns strapping into a seat mounted […]
Speech at commissioning ceremony for CWO2 Vincent “Red” Phipps, USN, at Naval Air Station Norfolk, 1 March 1988 By LCDR Diane Diekman, USN Several months ago I read a letter in Naval Proceedings that I thought would be perfect to talk about today as Chief Phipps prepares to take the commissioning oath. It was written by […]
Women’s History Month speech at Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Japan — 21 March 1997 I’m awed to be standing in front of you today. I never thought I’d be senior enough or important enough to be a luncheon speaker. When my boss and I were discussing whether we should do something for Women’s History […]
Memorial Day speech in Clear Lake, South Dakota — 31 May 1999 WWII veterans John & Mildred Diekman, with daughters Diane & Lorraine Memorial Day officially originated with General Order Number Eleven, issued in 1868 by the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic. The order designated May 30 as a day to decorate […]
I gave this eulogy at my dad’s funeral in Clear Lake, South Dakota, on September 11, 2003. In 1920 Herman Diekman moved his wife and four sons from Nebraska to a farm near Gary, South Dakota. He shipped his machinery, cattle and horses, household goods, and dogs by train. The German immigrant was buying into […]
9/ 12/1999 – celebrating 10th anniversary of liver transplant I gave this eulogy at my brother’s funeral in Clear Lake, South Dakota, on Saturday, 30 August 2003. My first memory of Kenny isn’t actually about Kenny. I don’t remember Mom bringing him home from the hospital. I don’t remember him as a little baby. But […]
CAPT Diane Diekman, USN — August 18, 2004 Almost 32 years ago I enlisted in the Navy–and wondered if signing away four years of my life was the right decision. But by the time I graduated from boot camp, I knew I’d be a lifer. At my sister’s Navy retirement ceremony in 1991, she said […]